Improvement in corsets



L. A. PALMER.

CORSET.

No. 189,777. Patented-Aprilfl, 1877.

INVENTU C D m m m H s A w m a P R G v m m D K P 8 m a p N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS A. PALMER, 0E BOSTON, MASsAoHUsETTs, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT To cHAELES A. HOUSE, OF SAME PLAoE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.189,777, dated April 17, 1877; application filed February 1, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LEWIS A. PALMER, of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Corset, of which the following is a specification:

Each half of the corset, the same being composed of two parts, and united in front and rear, is made from five pieces of different shapes. The adjacent edges of the said five pieces are all of the same lengths, while theforms of the pieces are difi'erent, and said adjacent edges are united by lapped or the ordinary seams used in corsets; and the improvement consists in so shaping the several pieces composing each half of the corset that, when united by their adjacent edges, the corset shall fit the form of the wearer, and this fitting of the form is only accomplished by properly shaping the pieces composing the corset, cutting said pieces more or less biased, so as to fit that part of the body for which the corset is used.

In the accompanying drawing, which is made a part of this specification, Figure l I represents that half of the corset covering the right side of the body, and shows the general shape of the pieces united and composing the same, the holes for-the lacings at the back,

I and the eyes for the front fastenings. It also shows the eyelet-holes in the ends of the stiffenings or whalebones used to keep said whalebones in place. Fig. 2 shows the five several pieces composing one half ofpthe corset, as shown above, separated, and they are marked or numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, respectively, No. 1 being the back piece and No.5 the front piece, having the eyes for the hooks on the other half ofthe corset.

'It will be perceived, on examining these pieces, that No. 1 is broad and high at the top,

covering the back of the shoulder, while No. 2 is narrow at the top and broad at the bottom, to give fullness to the swell near and upon the hip. No. 3 is broad at the top and bottom. No. 4 is broad at the top and narrow at the bottom. This piece covers at the top the breast, and it will be seen in Fig. 1 that the stiffenings part widely at the top, thereby preventing injury to the'nipple from the hardness of the stiffenings or whalebones.

In respect to the seams, the edge a in piece 1 is lapped upon the edge a in piece 2, and so in each of the edges 1) b c c d d, and the five pieces thus united form one half of the corset,

as shown in Fig. 1; and the corset so formed makes an easy close-fitting garment, and has the great advantage in cutting of economizing the material of which the corset is made. Corsets, like coats, are not made to fit alike every person; but there are certain contours of the body alike in all persons, so that if to length and circumference be added shape and form the garment will be a fitting garment. I have so shaped the pieces united and composing this corset that I have, by experiment, made an easy and close-fitting corset.

it will be observed that the seams uniting pieces 1 and 2 and 4 and 5 are drawn seams that is to say, the edges a and a and d and d are the same as to length; but their forms are unlike, and the edges have to be drawn together in stitching, and in this respect said edges formed and united are like the edges of like parts in the patent granted to me N ovember 16, 1869. This invention is an improvement upon my, former patent referred to and the improvement consists not only in the better fit secured by the described several pieces peculiarly formed and united, but especially in piece 4, which is very broad at the top, and the bones or stifi'enings are parted widely at the edges of said piece, so that they do not interfere with the nipple and the fullest part of the breast.

I am aware that a two-part corset, each part of which is composed of five pieces, has been long known, and I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the same, broadly; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A two-part corset each half of which is composed of the pieces 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, each piece being cut in the form described and shown, for the purposes set forth.

LEWIS A. PALMER.

Witnesses:

J. L. NEWTON, TIMOTHY DAVIS. 

